Another massive hit for Neely Tubati Alexander.

This book had me hooked from the start and I had a hard time putting it down to go to sleep. I loved that there was a story inside the story, meaning the story from the court case and then the story of Sydney and Damon. The details that she put into this book on the court case made you feel so invested on learning what the outcome was going to be. And then the tension and drama with Sydney and Damon just took the angst over the top.

Neely is so good at slow burns but in this book, you get a little more spice quicker with the jury being sequestered. The friendship ad history between Sydney and Damon is intense and they sometimes seem like they have a hard time hiding how close they really are from the other jurors.

I absolutely loved this book and can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

The plot is very fun - two former childhood best friends find themselves on a sequestered jury (forced proximity, friends to lovers!) where they rebuild their relationship.

The scenes in the courtroom were enjoyable and it was sweet to witness Sydney and Damon reconnect. However, some of their dialogue was awkward and I didn’t always believe in their chemistry (I also think there was a missed opportunity for Sydney to write Damon an apology / love letter in the form of a gummy bear review?!).

Readers who enjoy Real Housewives-esque reality shows and are looking for a creative take on a rom-com featuring two people in their mid-20s may enjoy this.

Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

I've never read a jury duty romance before and when I saw this uploaded to Netgalley I knew I needed to read this. I found it to be an excellent mix between a murder mystery and romance novel. I loved how what was going on in the trial reflected what was going on between Sydney and Damon. I also enjoyed how you could see the connection/tension between Sydney and Damon while at court. They might not have been able to speak to one another but you could still feel them growing closer. I love that so much of the novel was taking place during the trial; the author really had me invested in the outcome of the trial. Once I started Courtroom Drama I could not put it down, I finished it in one sitting. The end was such a fun twist that did not see coming.
I will for sure be recommending this to my friends once it's out!

⚖️ You’ve done it again, Neely! This book isn’t out until May but once it hit my NetGalley shelf I couldn’t wait. Thanks to @harpercollins for the early look.

⚖️ So, I’m going to let you all in on a little secret. Neely Tubati-Alexander is a contemporary fiction author hiding behind a romance author persona! Do her books bring the romance? For sure— but there’d always something more there too.

⚖️ In ‘Love Buzz’- it was a journey to loving yourself. ‘In A Not So Perfect World’ had so much to say about women in the workplace. And here, we’ve got a trial that will keep you on the edge of your seat just as much as the will they- won’t they of the love story. Not to mention, the characters’ rich backstories— giving them depth as well.

⚖️ This is a second chance romance about two childhood friends (and almost more) torn apart by circumstances out of their control. Usually, these scenarios don’t work for me, but Neely doesn’t try to make her readers believe they’ve been pining for only each other since they parted. The way she writes it is very believable and I bought in!

⚖️ So to recap what you can expect:
- second chance romance
- depth beyond the love story
- courtroom drama that will have you feeling like you’re in the middle of Legally Blonde
- a reality star in the hot seat
- a jaw-dropping ending

⚖️ There are a couple open-door spicy scenes if that’s important to you one way or another.

Y'all. COURTROOM DRAMA swept.me.off.my.FEET!
Emotional depth--check.
Brilliant storytelling--check.
Syd and Damon's achingly intimate relationship leaving me fragile and wanting more? Check check.
With a shocking ending to add this crisply beautiful novel, it's an absolute must-read.

Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for an ARC.

My top favorite read of 2025 thus far!

A mixture of murder mystery and second chance romance, this novel is PURE PERFECTION. Both genres have been weaved together so seamlessly by the author!

The premise felt so interesting, refreshing and unique. I felt like I was vicariously living my dream of being on jury duty through Damon and Sydney.

This book grabbed my attention from the very first page and the cliff hanger ending left me contemplating theories about the murder mystery! Keeping fingers crossed for a sequel 🤞🏻

Can’t recommend this book enough!

4.5/5 Stars

This book was such a fun ride with a slow burn! Courtroom Drama blends Bravo/Real Housewives chaos, a high-profile trial, and a second-chance romance into a fast-paced, addictive read. Sydney is sharp and relatable, and her chemistry with Damon is full of tension and nostalgia. The jury-duty setting adds a unique twist, making the drama both inside and outside the courtroom impossible to put down. A perfect mix of wit, heart, and entertainment!

I knocked off .5 stars for the author’s odd, spicy nods throughout the book but the rest was fabulous!

4.25 stars.

Thank you to Harper Perennial & NetGalley for the e-ARC.

The cover and title of this novel does not do the book justice - it is so much for than a silly little book about courtroom drama. It’s also a bit misleading; I was expecting a book about lawyers but it’s actually about jury duty during a high profile case of a D-List celebrity who is accused of murdering her husband. The fmc is a super fan of the celebrity (think Bravo’s housewives) and gets selected for jury duty where they will be sequestered for approximately two weeks during the trial. The mmc is an old childhood friend who also ends up on the jury. This is very much a kind of second chance friends-to-lovers situation, and I was here for every minute of it.

Neely Tubati Alexander’s writing reminds me a lot of one of my favorite authors: Sarah Dessen. She expertly intertwines the present and the past together to create one cohesive story. The story is in the present day, but the reader must understand what happened in the past between the mmc and the fmc to appreciate the current situation. I much prefer this type of storytelling compared to entire chapters that are in the past - I tend to prefer one timeline to the other in books written that way, and I’m always waiting to get back to my preferred. The writing style keeps you guessing but moves the story along well with great pacing.

The jury duty part of this was very juicy and full of drama. It brought me into the story in a unique way that I haven’t read before. The case was intriguing to me and I felt like it was handled really well - coming from someone whose knowledge of the law is from television shows.

Really enjoyed this one overall! I’ve now read two out of the three novels the author has written. I’m definitely going to need to read the third soon. She’s quickly because a must - read author for me!

Totally hooked on this book! I am so into true crime and romance so this book really hit all of my favorite things I had extremely high expectations for this story and the author met every single one!

This was so good! Read this book front to back in no time. Absolutely loved the incorporation of the classic film 12 angry men and with a modern twist and romance.

I loved everything about this! It combined so many of my favorite topics: a murder trial of reality TV star plus a romance within the sequestered jury…A+!! I was hooked from the very beginning. Experiencing the trial and courtroom drama alongside the jury was fascinating and I felt like was trying to determine if the defendant was innocent or guilty the whole trial too. The slow burn of the second chance romance was also done really well.

This was an enjoyable courtroom romance-mystery-drama novel! I thought the blend of genres was really interesting, and the plot was very attention-grabbing. When I started reading, this book was very difficult to put down! I found the mystery/drama aspects to be much better than the romance aspects, however, as I didn't feel like there was much chemistry between the love interests. Despite this, I enjoyed the book and overall had a good time with it! :)

This book was really good. I finished it in two days. Sydney and Damon's back story was really well written and I liked how the author sprinkled in bits and pieces of it throughout the book to add to the plot. I'm not normally into courtroom type books but this one was really good.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced readers copy.

This was such a unique book concept! I loved reading about the courtroom drama. I also really enjoyed the romance and that back story. I loveeeee a forced proximity and realistic second chance. So if those tropes are your favorites, this is a good one!!

Having never watched a single reality tv show featuring “housewives,” it was perhaps a misjudgment on my part to request this book. I found the drama superficial despite this being a trial to determine if the deceased was poisoned by his widow or died of natural causes. Additionally, the cliched portrayals of the attorneys and many of the witnesses coupled with a tedious pace describing the protagonist’s unexpected reunion with an estranged boyfriend made it a struggle to finish the book.

I am sure there is an audience for this book, it just was not a match for me.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Sydney hasn’t seen Damon in 10 years so when she finds out he’s also a juror for one of the most publicized court cases to date she is taken aback. They are set to be the jury for reality star Margot Kitsch, accused of murdering her husband. Jurors aren’t allowed to fraternize romantically but that doesn’t stop the pair from reforming their childhood bond. This forced proximity forbidden second chance romance is bound to get your heart pumping.

Okay I absolutely loved this book! From the suspense of the court cases to the swoony romance this book at had me at hello. It definitely does have a legally blonde feel to it. It’s funny romantic and suspenseful.

Childhood friends reunited
Forbidden romance
Forced proximity

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! I loved every second of this book!

Neely Tubati Alexander is quickly becoming one of my most anticipated authors. Courtroom Drama only reinforces that status.

Sydney is chosen as a juror for a high-profile murder case. When she arrives for duty, in walks Damon—her best friend from childhood who ghosted her after moving away at 16. As the trial begins and drags on (what else would you expect from an Authentic Mom, kind of like a Real Housewife?), Syd tries to stay mad at Damon. However, his peacock-feather eyes make it almost impossible to stick to her resolve, even under the strict rules of the no-nonsense judge.

NTA writes with so much humor and emotion, plus tons of fun references to Taylor Swift and others. The mix of courtroom drama and romance creates a unique combo that I think a lot of people will enjoy. Her writing is detailed and entertaining, putting her up there with some of my favorites like Emily Henry and Carley Fortune.

I definitely recommend it!

3.5/5

This was fun and felt like a really unique way to write about a trial!

Our two main characters are serving jury duty together for a high-profile case. They happen to have a history with each other (childhood best friends) and that causes some feelings to develop.

Something super random about this book that I actually loved were all the niche little references. Usually, I think that references can date a book, but I think because these were such funny and random ones, it worked. It felt more timeless. For example, my favorite was the reference to that one sugar-free gummybear Amazon review (if you know, you know). And when I was reading that moment, I was just thinking "was that reference actually made? Did that really happen?" And it did get a little laugh out of me because it is so niche and so random and so funny. Please look up that review if you do not know the one I'm talking about.

If you like courtroom-related stories, I would really recommend this one because it was such a different way to learn about a (fictional) case, through the eyes of the jury members. I thought this was a good combination of courtroom moments and romantic ones.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

The Housewives references alone made this book fun for me. I definitely had some flashbacks to my (thankfully not sequestered) jury duty experience while reading this, though this trial was way more interesting than mine.

This author keeps getting better with each release! Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I absolutely devoured this book, as it combines all my favorite things — a little mix of courtroom drama, Bravo shows, and romance! The premise of this book was so fun, and it was executed so well. I loved all the little housewife hints throughout, too. Sydney was also such a likeable character. I thought this book held a great balance of examining how to deal with real emotional damage from childhood (both in the court case and in the MC’s life, but also sucked me in through the 2nd chance, forced proximity tropes. Not to mention, I was genuinely so invested in the case. I loved the ambiguity in the end, too!